Hosted Live/Produced/Recorded
by: Andru Valpy, & Natty Somers
Air Date: 01/26/2011 on UMFM 101.5 FM
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Rebroadcast: 2/02/2011 on CJUM 101.5 UMFM - 6:30 AM
On this weeks show we introduced you to City Councilor Gord Steeves who recently put forward a motion to city council to look at the possibility of banning panhandling in the median lanes of city streets.
As you learned in our interview, the suggestion stemmed from a letter that was sent to City Hall from a local tourism group after 1,400 international delegates visited the city of Winnipeg as part of a business conference.
"The comments that we received from the downtown biz were stark. They were horrible. They talked about our city in a very unflattering way downtown based. " - Counc. Gord Steeves.
It was then that Councilor Steeves started looking at ideas to enhance the vibrancy of our downtown core and decided to put the motion forward before council. The motion was meant as a positive effort to attract residence and businesses to the center of the city as part of ongoing downtown revitalization efforts.
"Regardless of how you feel about this issue, vagrancy really hurts this city. We're in the process of always trying to rebuild and attract people downtown."
"[The ban] deals exclusively with idea of people who are pan-handling in the median boulevard between both lanes of traffic. It's a practice that is done by people who appear to be pretty able bodied, and otherwise able to function in a normal community. "
But to some Winnipeggers, the idea to ban panhandling was seen as an attack on those who were less fortunate than others.
"I distinguish it specifically from folks who for whatever reason are sitting on a street corner as people walk by and have their hands out. That's different to me in a lot of different ways, it's a lot less intrusive and generally speaking I think those folks are a little harder done by in terms of their personal circumstances. But if someone can sit in the middle of traffic for 6 hours in the middle of traffic in the middle of winter, then frankly I think they could be working somewhere and that's my impression".
The motion is currently being reviewed by City Council and has two hurdles left to climb. First, councilors have to see if this is something that can be done, and if approved, they have to discuss how it will be enforced.
Expect more details at a later date.
Also on this weeks show, we interviewed Nate Terrin and Mike Sanders who were the creators of a new Winnipeg based book "Call / Response".
The book is a compilation of photographs and concert stories from locals who reflect back on various concerts within Winnipeg over the last 30 years. Specifically, the book discusses and shows the interaction between youth and musicians and the impact music has on the local scene.
During this interview, we learned that talks are in place for volume two which will be announced sometime in the near future.
Proceeds of the book will be going towards the Childrens help phone, a cause Nate has been contributing to for a long period of time.
We look forward to checking out the book launch on February 5th starting with performances at Into The Music, then moving to the West End Cultural Centre, and wrapping up at the Royal Albert. Tickets can be purchased at Into The Music or online at http://ticketworkshop.com.
We'll catch you next week, for an all new episode of Wake Up Winnipeg.
-Av
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